Just in case we had forgotten Chris Harris spent a bit of time piloting a factory Porsche GT3 around the Nürburgring last year he is back wearing a team jacket to tell us how the Citroën DS3 Racing compares against its hot hatch rivals; namely the MINI John Cooper Works, Renaultsport Clio 200 Cup, Vaxhaull Corsa VXR and Volkswagen Polo GTI.
The clip gives quite a good introduction to each of the cars, even if the script pretty much follows expectations. Check it out after the break.
Following the latest round of testing at Jerez Nick Heidfeld has been confirmed by Lotus Renault GP as the driver to take the seat of the recovering Robert Kubica.
Heidfeld, 33 years of age, has the experience of 172 Grand Prix starts behind him and welcomes the chance to renew his racing career, “I would have liked to come back to Formula 1 in different circumstances, but I’m proud to have been given this chance.
“I really enjoyed the test last week in Jerez and I’ve already settled in well with the guys at the track. I have a good feeling for the car, which is quite innovative. I’m extremely motivated and can’t wait for the season to begin.”
Heidfeld’s first official duty with his new team will be the third pre-season test at Barcelona (18–21 February). The opening race of the year is scheduled for 13 March at Bahrain.
Meanwhile Kubica has just undergone what is expected to be his final operation following his accident. A statement from the team reads, in part, “At the end of the surgery, the doctors were pleased with the outcome, with the procedure being completed successfully.”
Last week Kubica told Italian paper Gazzetta dello Sport, “I want to get back on the track stronger than ever, because after these accidents you aren’t what you were before, you improve.
“It happened to me in 2007 too, after the crash in Canada. I was out for a race and when I got back I was better. A driver is not just throttle and steering wheel, it’s more than that. There’s a difference between someone who drives at 80 per cent and who does at 95 per cent: in that 15 per cent extra you find the abilities and the motivations coming out.”
You can read more on that interview over at Autosport.
[Pics: LRGP/LAT]
Following Robert Kubica’s recent accident, which may cost the Pole his F1 career and will almost certainly see him out of F1 for 2011, Lotus Renault GP is in need of a replacement driver. And quite soon with the next test window opening in Jerez tonight (Australian time).
With five reserve drivers on their roster—yes, that’s right five—you’d think it would be a safe bet they would recruit from within. However, this now appears increasingly unlikely. Word on the interwebz is that Nick Heidfeld is the favourite to get the gig. A theory loosely supported by an official statement from Lotus Renault GP, which you can read below.
The reason for chasing an experienced driver like Heidfeld is twofold. First, the talent in reserve for Renault is mostly young, exuberant, but inexperienced in developing a Formula One car. Second, the new R31 features a radical forward exiting exhaust which requires a sage guiding hand through its development process. Remember, Kubica set the fastest time in Valencia last week, so it’s undoubted the R31 has great potential.
Heidfeld made his F1 debut in 2000 and has driven for Prost, Sauber, Jordan, Williams, BMW Sauber and Sauber once again in the latter part of last year. He has experience. Bruno Senna, on the other hand, does not. He was widely expected to land the role of filling Robert’s shoes, but it looks less likely now.
There is hope for Senna, though, as both he and Heidfeld will get track time at Jerez and the results there will play a large part in deciding who joins Vitaly Petrov on the grid at Bahrain in a few weeks time
Now that all Formula One teams have unveiled their cars for the 2011 season we have compiled a list of all the teams and their drivers. Take the jump to see the full list, in numerical order, and follow links to our posts on the launches of all 11 teams.
First filed 6 February.
News has come through that Lotus Renault GP driver Robert Kubica was injured in a rally accident earlier today.
Internet rumour has detailed varying degrees of injury for 26-year-old Kubica and while we don’t have any confirmed details it is known he is currently under observation in hospital and we believe he is conscious. It’s also understood his injuries are not life threatening.
Kubica was driving a Skoda Fabia S2000 car at the Ronde di Andora rally, near Genoa. It is being reported that Kubica crashed into a church wall. His co-driver was not injured.
An official statement from Lotus Renault GP can be read below. Out thoughts are with Kubica and when we hear more we will let you know.
UPDATE #1: BBC are reporting Kubica has suffered fractures to his right arm and right leg.
UPDATE #2 (1am 7 Feb): A new statement from Lotus Renault GP has been added below which confirms Kubica has multiple fractures to his right arm, leg and hand. Here’s best wishes to Robert for a speedy recovery. It now looks very likely that Bruno Senna will be racing for the team in Bahrain, and possibly beyond.
UPDATE #3 (8am 7 Feb): Video of an Italian TV news report has been added at the end of this article. Word overnight on BBC radio’s World Service was that surgeon’s were hoping to “restore the functionality” of Robert’s hand. A new update from Lotus Renault GP is expected soon. However, it is believed Kubica’s long-term racing career is under threat.
UPDATE #4 (9:30am 7 Feb): Autosport are reporting that Kubica is now expected to be sidelined for the entire 2011 Formula One season. Doctors managed to save his right hand overnight after there were fears it would need to be amputated. It’s expected it will take a week to see if the surgery is a success and, if it is, Kubica could need up to 12 months to fully recover. You can see video of Robert Kubica’s surgeon at the end of this article.
UPDATE #5 (10:45am 7 Feb): A new statement from Lotus Renault GP can be read below. Two teams of doctors spent a total of seven hours reconstructing Kubica’s right forearm which was cut in two places.
[Pic: Pixelrallye | Thanks to Simon for the tip]
Ian Thorpe may have used yesterday’s comeback press conference, written and authorised by the other local airline that’s not Qantas, to heighten our cynicism towards events wanting to mix business and sport. However, Renault and Red Bull have combined to bring us a promo event for the Australian Grand Prix that is both relevant and interesting.
The relevance is there, of course, because of the engine supply deal Renault has with Red Bull Racing. The interest comes from preparing a handful of Megane RS 250 hot hatches for circuit racing and then handing the keys to a few racing drivers and saying “go for it boys!”
The event is called the Red Bull Race Off and will be a five-lap challenge featuring 13 times F1 race winner David Coulthard, current F1 hopeful Daniel Ricciardo, V8 racer Rick Kelly and motorbike madman Robbie Maddison.
Sounds like fun to us.
The newly branded Lotus Renault GP team was the third outfit to show off its 2011 car at Valencia on the eve of official testing. The R31 was presented to the media throng by drivers Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov.
Full quotes and press texts are available after the break. However, with the new adjustable rear wings being such an integral feature of the 2011 cars, we thought it pertinent to highlight some quotes from Lotus Renault GP Technical Director, James Allison:
“It’s true to say that the car has been designed in an ambitious manner and a quick glance at the layout will confirm that its entire concept differs considerably, not just from last year’s car, but from any car this team has ever produced. Those changes represent our attempt to extract the absolute maximum aerodynamic performance from the regulations, which have changed quite significantly for this year, and to further develop the concept of using the exhausts to blow the floor.
“Every team will be looking for a wing that delivers the optimum compromise of downforce in the corners, while shedding the maximum drag down the straights – the better your wing can do that, the better your lap time will be in qualifying and the more competitive you will be in racing conditions. In terms of how powerful it is, the gains from adjusting the rear wing will be more significant than the gains we saw last year using f-ducts. But, like the f-duct, it’s far from straightforward aerodynamically and we’ve spent a great deal of time in CFD and the wind tunnel to make sure our concept delivers the best compromise.”
More after the break.
At the recent Autosport International event the newly named Lotus Renault GP team revealed their 2011 livery. Of course, the new paint job is a definite link back to the John Player Special cigarette advertising so heavily featured on Lotus F1 machines back in the 1970s. With many governments across the globe now having strict tobacco laws, which prevent any advertising or glorification of smoking, will the new look Lotus-Renault face any issues?
Well, as it happens they just might. A recent report states Canadian authorities have banned Imperial Toboacco, owners of JPS, from using gold and black colours on their own website; so strongly is the connection between the colour scheme and the John Player Special brand.
On the surface, then, Lotus-Renault could be in a spot of bother. But, this is F1 and as the old saying goes, money talks and…
Mind, given the British car company, owned by a Malaysian car company, sponsoring the F1 team bearing the name of French car company has already stolen the plans of the other Lotus team, then, maybe this possible controversy is a mild dose of karma.
[Source: Yahoo Sport UK | Pic: F1 Fanatic]
Amid all the controversy about the use of the Lotus name in Formula One, Group Lotus CEO, Dany Bahar, took the time out to speak to the press to explain, among other things, his company’s reasons for entering into a title sponsorship role with Lotus Renault GP.
Here’s a little of what Bahar had to say:
Q. You have also said RIP to Team Lotus. So will you be disappointed if there is a Team Lotus on the grid next season, and are you surprised Tony Fernandes is pursuing the route he is going?
DB: No. I cannot comment for Mr Fernandes, but if he believes he has all the legal grounds to own this brand, then he should use it. I don’t believe we are fighting this. What we are 100 per cent certain of is that we own the brand that is called Lotus, which is associated with the car manufacturer. And that Lotus brand has the right to enter in any sports activity. And if any chassis will be called a Lotus then it is our chassis, and no one else’s.
We don’t claim to have the name Team Lotus or to use the name Team Lotus. That is not what it is all about. We just don’t want other people to call their car a Lotus because the Lotus car is our brand and that is all.
Autosport has a full Q&A article on Bahar’s meeting, so follow the source link below for the complete text.
[Source: Autosport]
Like the road ready Renault Megane RS 250? Then you’ll love this N4 rally-spec version. With 265hp (197kW) and 470Nm of torque on offer from its tweaked 2.0 litre turbo four, this front-wheel drive beast is a ready-to-race Group N rally car.
Cosworth Electronics are responsible for the small performance gains over the road car. Where regulations allowed they have improved the ECU and added both a lightened flywheel and a water spray function for the turbo’s intercooler.
The Megane Renaultsport N4 is designed specifically for privateer entrants, so all you need is a bit under £50K to buy the car and whatever it’ll cost you to race. So, what are you waiting for!
More pics and Renault’s full press release can be seen after the break.
Raphael Campos has sent in another gold and black Team Lotus-inspired livery via his twitter page. This one is based on Ayrton Senna’s 1986 Lotus 98T racecar and it looks just as good as the Emerson Fittipaldi version. Great work!
There’s another pic after the break, just click on it to load a 3000px mega image.
Following last night’s (Group) Lotus Renault GP announcement here is an image showing what the (Team) Lotus Racing car might look like in 2011. So far as we can tell this is an entry into the Lotus Racing livery competition and it was published via twitter last Friday. The scheme has been based on Emerson Fittipaldi’s Lotus 72D which he drove on his way to the 1972 World Championship.
So far, then, this image looks better than the official rendering provided by the other Lotus team. We know we’re probably only getting half of the real story, but to us here at AUSmotive, we hope the Tony Fernandes backed team gets the rights to use the Team Lotus name and that its paintwork ends up looking the best.
There’s another pic after the break, just click on it to load a 3000px mega image.
[Thanks to Ryan for the tip]